Werewolf on Trial
by JKLB
Summary: After Sirius Black tells Severus Snape how to get in the Whomping Willow tunnel, Remus Lupin has to face the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. MWPP Written before OotP.
1. Suspension

            _When I read PoA, I get the impression that neither Sirius nor Remus ever faced any truly serious consequences from Dumbledore or the Ministry after the Whomping Willow incident (when Sirius told Snape how to get into the tunnel).  I wrote my story "A Sirius Mistake" from that viewpoint.  However, for those of you who like a bit more angst in their tales…_

**Werewolf on Trial**

**Chapter 1- Suspension**

May 1977

Sirius stared at the small hole burned in his robe just above his left knee.  "_Probably from when I tossed a Filibuster Firework in Rosier's cauldron two weeks ago.  How was I supposed to know that Mood Intensifying Potion would turn into acid when exposed to a Filibuster?" _  He could feel McGonagall's glare boring into the top of his skull.  He didn't dare look up.  He had lost count years ago of how many times he had been hauled into McGonagall's office to face her wrath and learn his punishment.  This was the first time he couldn't look her in the eyes.  He tried to resist the temptation to pick at the small hole in his robe.  "_I wish she'd yell or something_."  McGonagall's silence reminded him of his mother.  She became deathly silent when she was at her most angry too.  "_So does Remus."_  That thought made him squirm.

"Professor McGonagall, Mr. and Mrs. Black are in the entrance hall."  Sirius looked up at the sound of Nearly Headless Nick's voice.

"Thank you, Sir Nicholas.  I'll go down to meet them."  She walked to the doorway, paused, and looked back at Sirius.  She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again with an almost imperceptible shake of the head.  She followed Nick out of her office.

Sirius realized that he had been holding his breath.  He exhaled sharply as he stood and began pacing the room.  _"Alone in a teacher's office,"_ he thought wryly as he kicked his trunk, _"and a trunkful of dungbombs and fireworks.  Should be a dream come true." _ He sank down onto his trunk and dropped his head as he ran his fingers through his hair.  The sound of the office door opening caused Sirius to leap to his feet.

"James!"

"Only got a minute, Padfoot.  McGonagall's on her way with your parents."  James waved the Marauder's Map in the air, and Sirius nodded.

"Did you get in to see him?"

"Yeah, Pomfrey let me in, but…" The pained expression on James's face told Sirius what he had sent James to learn.

"But he won't see me," Sirius said in a defeated tone.

"Sorry."  

Sirius nodded.  He hadn't really expected Remus to be willing to talk to him, but he had hoped.  He dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Thanks for trying, James, and—and thank you for last night.  I'd never forgive myself if Remus had hurt someone because of me, even if it was Snape."  He looked up into his friend's blue eyes.  "I'm really a bloody idiot sometimes, aren't I?"

"Absolutely," James said with a slight smile.  "But at least you get to start your summer holiday a month earlier than the rest of us."

"I doubt I'll survive that long once my parents learn what I did."  He glanced at the map in James's hand.  "You'd better go, Prongs.  McGonagall's so angry with me that it might spill over onto you."

"Yeah…" James murmured as he looked closely at the map.  "Damn.  Too late."  He hastily folded the map and hid it in his pocket a moment before the door opened.

"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said icily, "Shouldn't you be at supper?"

"On my way, Professor.  I just wanted to give Sirius a textbook that he forgot to pack."  James took one step toward the door before turning back to Sirius and embracing him.

"Thank you again, James," Sirius said quietly.  James left without a word, nodding at Sirius's parents as he passed.

Time stretched to a crawl as the three adults stared at Sirius.  Finally Professor McGonagall spoke to Mr. and Mrs. Black.  "Professor Dumbledore wanted to speak to you himself, but I'm afraid he was just called to London on an urgent matter."

Mr. Black nodded.  "I'm afraid that Professor Dumbledore's letter was rather vague about what Sirius did.  Could you please explain, Professor?"  Professor McGonagall looked momentarily troubled and pressed her lips together tightly.  "Please understand, we aren't disputing that Sirius earned this suspension.  God knows that he's probably earned dozens, but this is the first one he's gotten, and we'd like to understand what he did."

"I'm afraid that I can't explain the details unless you already know something else," she replied.   She then looked at Sirius.  "_Do_ they know?"

"No," he said quietly.  No, he still hadn't told his parents that one of his best friends is a werewolf.

* * * * *

July 1975

Dear James,

            Thanks for the letter.  You're slipping.  It took me less than a day to figure what to say in order to make the message visible.  "James is a Quidditch god"?  Too obvious.

            Did you see the article in today's Daily Prophet about the werewolf who attacked that family in Cornwall?  Mum and Dad were talking about it at breakfast and they said some awful things.  My own parents!  I'm sure you can imagine.  "You can't trust any of them."  "They should all be locked up."  "They're dangerously violent all month long."  It made me feel sick inside.

            The worst part—I didn't say anything!  Not one bloody word!  I was afraid that if I started, I'd say too much.  (Oh my God!  Thinking before I speak!  Remus is rubbing off on me!)  The perfect argument against all the stupid stereotypes is to say, "You know my friend Remus?  My kind, polite, peaceful, trustworthy friend Remus?  Well, he's a werewolf."  But I can't!

            I've always pretended to myself that we need to keep it a secret because the parents of the other students might object to Remus being at Hogwarts and get him expelled.  But the truth is, my parents are just as much of a threat.  We all know it.  You, Peter, and I have known for almost 3 years.  You never told your parents, and Peter and I still haven't told ours.

            I guess it isn't their fault that they don't know any better.  They all learned the same misinformation in Defense Against the Dark Arts that we've had to suffer through.  But I know better, and I don't think I could ever look Remus in the eye again if I don't say something to my parents.  Don't worry.  I won't tell them about Remus.  I don't know what I'll say, but I know what not to say.

Wish me eloquence!  

Sirius

* * * * *

May 1977

"Tell us everything, Sirius," his mother said with deadly calm.  Her dark brown eyes fixed Sirius with a look that allowed no argument.

Somehow, he managed to shake his head slightly and said, "You just need to know that I was thoughtless and reckless.  I acted without thinking.   I put people's lives in danger."

"Was anyone hurt?" his father asked with the same forced calmness.

"Not yet," was Professor McGonagall's reply.

Sirius was startled. _ "'No.'   The answer is supposed to be, 'No.'  No one was hurt thanks to James," _he thought.

"And if common sense prevails over prejudice," she continued while looking at Sirius, "no one will be hurt."

Dread settled on Sirius as an enormous weight on his chest, making every breath, every heartbeat, a struggle.  _"Prejudice…werewolves…Dumbledore called to London…the Ministry is going to kill Remus…"_   Professor McGonagall's face disappeared into darkness.

* * * * *

July 1975

            Sirius knew that his mother was staring at him.  She hadn't eaten a bite since dinner started.  She always knew when something was bothering him; she said she could see it in his eyes.  He avoided looking into her face as he ate.

            "Sirius, what did you do this time?"

            "Nothing, Mum."

            "Why won't you look at me then?"

            _"Damned if I do, damned if I don't."_

            "Either you did something and you want to confess, or something else is bothering you.  Either way, you aren't getting any peace until you tell me."  

            "It's nothing important," he lied, "and I'd rather talk to you and Dad together."  That part was true.  If he were going to try to find the right words, he'd prefer to do it just once.

            "It isn't important, but you need to speak to both of us," she repeated.  Sirius glanced up and saw his mother's lips tighten.  He was uncomfortably reminded of how Professor McGonagall looked just before saying, "Detention." This was going to be a long dinner.

            A quiet  "pop" announced his father's arrival home.  Sirius saw his mother smile like a cat who just caught a bird.  He'd have to tell all now.

            "Good evening, all."  Aeneas put a hand on Sirius's shoulder and leaned down to give his wife a kiss.

            "Welcome home, Dear.  You're home earlier than I expected," she said.

            "What do you mean?  I said that I'd try to be home for dinner."

            "Exactly," she replied with a smile at Sirius.  They both knew that if he said that he "would" be home for dinner, that he might, but if he said that he would "try" to be home, the chances were somewhere between slim and none.  All employees of the Ministry of Magic were quite busy these days.  His father shook his head with a bemused smile and set a place for himself for dinner.

            "How was work, Dad?"

            "Boring for a change—and I loved it.  It's nice to have a bit of a breather, a day without a crisis."

            "Well, I do hope your breather left you well rested enough to deal with the latest installment in 'The Confessions of Sirius Black'," Sirius's mother said as she raised her eyebrows inquiringly at her son.

            "What did you do this time?" His father's voice was carefully neutral and he began to eat his dinner.  

            "I didn't …" Sirius began but stopped_.  "That's exactly the problem.  I should've spoken up, but I didn't."_  He put down his fork and looked directly at his father.  "Actually, there is one thing."  He glanced at his mother and saw her slightly triumphant expression at having read her son correctly.  "I was talking with some people and they said some things I didn't like."  He took a deep breath as he chose his words.  "Some things that were based on stereotypes and prejudices.  Now I feel guilty for not speaking up."

            His father nodded understandingly.  "Most people have done that at some point in their lives.  It's to your credit that you feel you should have spoken up."

            "What did they say?" his mother asked.  Sirius saw his father tense at the question.

            "Does it really matter, Maggie?  We've heard it all before."  Maggie Black's mother was muggle-born.  She and her family had put up with "Mudblood" comments and the like their whole lives.

            "You don't have to worry about my feelings," she said and smiled encouragingly at her son.  "What did they say, Sirius?"

            Sirius looked from one to the other and couldn't resist a nervous smile.  "Not what you think.  It was about werewolves_._"_  "No going back now.  Don't say too much, you idiot."_

            His parents glanced nervously at each other but remained silent.

            "This morning, you were talking about werewolves as if they weren't even people, but they are—28 nights out of 29 and 29 days out of 29."  His mother frowned slightly and shifted uncomfortably in her chair.  His father shook his head slowly.

            "I'm glad that you're compassionate, Sirius," his father began, "but you have to understand that even when werewolves are in their human form, they are always part wolf."

            "True," Sirius said smiling.  He remembered how Remus used to growl when annoyed during first and second year.  "But they can control it."  Remus hadn't growled at him in a couple years, even though Sirius had certainly provoked him on numerous occasions.

            "Control it?"  His father was scowling now and bitterness was in his voice.  "Did you read that article in the _Daily Prophet_ this morning, Son?  A boy was killed and his mother was bitten while trying to save him.  I don't call that control."

 "But that was at the full moon, Dad.  I'm not saying werewolves aren't dangerous at the full moon.  I know _that_.  I'm talking about the rest of the month."

            "All right, Sirius.  Let's talk about 'the rest of the month' as you call it."  With a sweep of his arm, Aeneas pushed his half-eaten dinner aside.  He leaned forward on his elbows and looked intently at his son.  "I know some people in the Werewolf Capture Unit of the Ministry, and I've heard their stories.  I heard about a werewolf who repeatedly went into hiding just before the full moon because he didn't want anyone to lock him up while he was a wolf.  I heard about a werewolf who lost his temper and killed two people with his bare hands."  As his father spoke, Sirius raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.  

He asked, "But what about all the werewolves you haven't heard about because they've never caused any trouble?"  He looked at his mother then.  He thought she was being strangely silent.  "What about the ones who don't lose their tempers, and who willing lock themselves up at the full moon because they don't want to hurt anyone?  Should they be treated like monsters?"

"No," she said quietly.  His father exhaled sharply and stood up.  He began to clear the table, and Sirius rose to help.  When his father spoke again, it was in a gentler tone.

"I'm sorry, Sirius, but I think you're being naïve.  You're still young.  You see the world as you wish it to be instead of how it is."  The bitterness was creeping back into his voice.

Sirius squared his shoulders and pulled himself to his full height as he blocked his father's path back to the table.  At fifteen, Sirius was taller than all of his friends and almost as tall as his father.  He wanted his dad to see that he was growing up.

"I'm not as naïve as you think I am.  I know how dangerous things are now—all my friends do.    James's parents were murdered.  Remus once predicted that none of us would live to twenty-five."  Sirius paused as he saw his father flinch.  "The point I'm trying to make, rather badly I'm afraid," Sirius smiled apologetically, "is that I'm not seeing the world as I wish it to be.  I just—I just know that I'm right about this."

"Sirius, you know someone who is a werewolf, don't you?" his mother asked.  Sirius turned to face her while thinking quickly.  She wouldn't believe a denial, and keeping Remus's name out wasn't enough.  He couldn't let them know that it was someone at Hogwarts.

"One of my friends knows a werewolf," he said.  _"That part is true."_  "And I've met him a few times."  _"At least a few."_  

His mother pulled out his chair.  "Come here, Honey.  Tell me about him."  Sirius sank into the chair, grateful for the calm tone of her voice.  He glanced at his father and saw him scowling slightly as his crossed his arms and leaned back against the sink.  Under the table, Sirius felt an encouraging paw on his knee and reached out to scratch the head of one of his dogs.

"First of all, he's never hurt anyone," Sirius began, "and he's one of the nicest people I've ever met.  But none of that matters to people when they find out what he is.  He's always afraid of people finding out."

His mother nodded and then looked at her husband.  "Maybe Sirius does know more about this than we do.  We don't know anyone who is a werewolf, and he does."  She looked at Sirius again and the inquiring expression was back.  "Or do we?"

Sirius smiled and shrugged his shoulders.  His father sighed, returned to the table, and sat next to Sirius.  

"I suppose you're pretty disappointed in your dad."

"Only a bit."

"I just want you to be safe, Sirius.  There are so many people and so many things that I can't protect you from, and—I just want you to be safe."

"I know, Dad."

* * * * *

May 1977

            "Sirius…Sirius, wake up, Honey…please wake up, Sirius…" Sirius heard his mother's voice somewhere high above him.  He felt himself rising up through a thick cloudbank to her.

            "I'll bring him up to the hospital wing."  His father's voice this time.

            "No," Sirius struggled to say.  The room became clearer.  "No, I can't go up there.  James said."

            "Hmm.  Forgotten textbook," Professor McGonagall murmured as she pulled open a desk drawer.  "Perhaps it is better if Sirius rests here.  Why don't you eat this, Sirius?  It should help."  She handed a Chocolate Frog to Aeneas Black.

            "Impedimenta," he said under his breath as he unwrapped the enchanted candy.  He then handed the temporarily stilled frog to Sirius.

            "Thank you, Professor."  Sirius pushed himself up to a sitting position and bit off the head of the frog.  The image of a tabby cat pouncing on a hopping Chocolate Frog flickered through his mind.  He smiled feebly at his teacher and mentally promised himself that Padfoot would never again chase cats.

            "Well, I have several matters that need to be attended to.  You are all welcome to stay in my office until you feel that Sirius is ready to travel.  Sirius, Professor Dumbledore said that he would be sending you an owl from London."

            Sirius nodded, understanding.  Professor Dumbledore would let him know if Remus was in danger from the Ministry.  He finished eating the frog as he listened to his parents saying good bye to Professor McGonagall.  As he stood up, his mother whirled around  to face him again.

            "Sit, young man.  I'm not watching you keel over again."

            He sank into a chair.  "Yes, Ma'am."

            She sighed as she sat back on her heels in front of him and held his hands in her own.  "I think you need to tell us more, Honey."  Sirius nodded.  It was time to tell them.  Remus needed as many allies as he could get.  He looked at his father.

            "But first," Sirius began, "please promise me that you'll help Remus.  None of this is his fault."

            "So, you and Remus were pulling a prank on someone?"  his father asked.

            "No!" His overly emphatic answer caused his mother to jump.  "It was me.  I did it.  Remus did nothing wrong, but it's Remus who'll be blamed."

            "Has he been suspended too?"  His mother asked as she moved back into the other chair before the fireplace.  

            "No," Sirius said with a worried shake of the head.  "I'm afraid they might kill him."

            His father laughed.  "Has Mr. Filch been threatening the four of you with bodily harm again?"

            "No!  He's _really_ in danger. Promise me that you'll help him, or I can't tell you."  Sirius's parents exchanged startled glances.

            "Of course we'll help Remus.  Who wants to hurt him and why?"  Aeneas Black asked as he moved to stand beside his wife's chair.

            "Do you remember the summer before last when I told you that I know someone who is a werewolf?"  His mother looked puzzled for a moment and then her eyes widened as she realized the truth.

            "Oh—I can't believe—Remus?"

            Sirius nodded.  "He was bitten when he was five.  Only a few of us know.  He thought that he could trust me, and I've ruined everything."  He looked up at his father hoping to see the same concern that his mother was showing, but his father's expression was unreadable.

            "Tell us what happened, Sirius," his father prompted.

            "It was the full moon last night," he saw his mother recoil slightly, "and Remus went with Madam Pomfrey to a safe place they have for him to transform.  He can't get out, and only a few people know how to get in.  That's when I did something incredibly stupid.  Snape—Severus Snape—"

            "The Slytherin boy you're always fighting with?"

            "Yeah.  He was spying on Remus and trying to find an excuse to get him expelled.  He saw where Remus went, and—and I told him how to get in."  Sirius saw his father's grip on the back of the chair tighten.  "I was angry at him, and I wanted to frighten him.  I _never_ meant for Remus to hurt him."

            "But he did," his father stated with that artificial calmness again.

            "No, he's fine, but—but only because James went in after him and got him out in time."  His mother glanced involuntarily at the doorway where she last saw James.  "James is fine, too," Sirius assured her.  "No thanks to me.  It's Remus I'm worried about.  What McGonagall said just before I—keeled over—I'm afraid that the Ministry might blame Remus for the whole thing just because he's a werewolf."

            Sirius rose and stood in front of his father.  "I'm the one who's dangerous, not Remus.  We can't let them lock him up or—"  The words died in his throat as the heavy feeling of dread crushed his chest again.

            "No, we can't," his father said as he pulled his frightened child into an embrace.  "We won't let them hurt your friend."

_Disclaimer:  All characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling. (As if you had any doubt.)_


	2. The Committee for the Disposal of Danger...

_The flashbacks are all done.  The story stays chronological from here._

Werewolf on Trial 

**Chapter2- The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures**

July 1977

            Sirius glanced at the clock high on the hallway wall.  Ten after three. _ "The hearing was supposed to start ten minutes ago.  The least the bloody committee could do is be on time."_  He watched Remus pacing at the other end of the hall_.  "No, the least they could do is let him have a normal trial instead of hauling him in front of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures."_ Sirius caught himself just before growling.  _"Don't you dare growl in front of the Committee," _he scolded himself._  "They'll think Remus is rubbing off on you."_

            He saw Remus sit down between Mrs. Lupin and James. Sirius's mother sat on the other side of Mrs. Lupin and was holding her hand.  Mrs. Pettigrew hadn't reacted as well to the revelation that Remus was a werewolf and had refused to allow Peter to come to the hearing.  It didn't really matter as only those testifying would be allowed in, but he had wanted to come for moral support.

            Remus was pacing again.  In his mind, Sirius saw the wolf pacing in the Shrieking Shack.  When they had first mastered the animagus transformation, but weren't yet bold enough, or reckless enough, to leave the Shack, he had seen the wolf pacing the same way_.  "He feels trapped."_

            "Here come the last two committee members, Radley and Ewell," Aeneas Black whispered to his son.

            "Sit down, Moony," Sirius urged under his breath.

            "What?"

            "Remus is pacing like an animal in a cage.  Not the image we want committee members to see," Sirius explained quietly.  James must have had the same thought for he stood at that moment and stilled Remus by laying a hand on his arm and speaking to him.

            Sirius looked then at the tardy committee members, but was more interested in the two people in their wake, Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew.  Snape was walking calmly and resolutely, his gaze straight ahead.  Peter's pace was more erratic.  He would quicken as if eager to join his friends, but then slow as soon as he began to catch up to Snape.

            The committee members swept into the meeting room without a glance at any of the people waiting.  The doors closed behind them without a touch.  Snape saw Sirius and glared at him briefly before turning to go to the other end of the hall.  Seeing Remus and James there, he merely leaned back against the wall in the center of the corridor.  He stared at the meeting room doors.  Peter hurried over to Sirius.

            "Glad to see you, Peter.  Did your mum change her mind, or did you sneak out?" Sirius asked.

            "Snuck out," Peter replied.  "She thinks I'm in my room, sulking because I couldn't come here."  Aeneas Black shook his head as he listened to his son and his friend, but said nothing.

            "Why don't you go over and help James keep Remus calm.  He's wearing the floor out pacing," Sirius suggested.

            "Yeah, but I'll have to walk past Snape.  I thought he was going to kill me on the stairs."

            "What did the slimy git do?"

            "Nothing really.  Just a few rather choice and inspired insults, but the way he was glaring at me—trust me, a basilisk has got nothing on Snape when he's really angry."

            "I know.  Believe me, I know."

            Just then the meeting room doors opened and a grey-haired wizard wearing a red robe emerged.  _"All the better to hide the bloodstains,"_ Sirius thought.  He suppressed the urge to growl again."  

            "We will begin hearing testimony in just a few moments," the red robed wizard announced.  Before we begin, we wish to ascertain if all the witnesses are present.  Mrs. Julia Lupin?"

"Present."  There was an understandable quaver in her voice.

"Mr. Severus Snape?"  Snape raised his hand slightly and nodded at the wizard.  "Mr. Sirius Black?"

            "I am." 

            "Mr. James Potter?"

            "Here." 

            "And the werewolf, Remus Lupin?"

             A pause, and then, "Here," James's voice again.   

Sirius was staring at Snape.  Snape smirked when the wizard called Remus, "the werewolf." Sirius gripped the edge of the bench.

            "Thank you.  Headmaster Albus Dumbledore of Hogwarts School has also asked to speak, but as he will be speaking last, the committee requested his presence for four o'clock.  The remainder of you will be questioned in the order in which I called your names.  Only one person will be permitted in at a time.  Mrs. Lupin, if you would follow me?"  Mrs. Lupin kissed her son on his cheek and followed the wizard into the room. The doors closed again.

            A sudden brainstorm hit Sirius.

            "Hey, Peter?"

            "Yeah?"

            "It's really too bad that only one _person_ can go in at a time.  I'd dearly love to know what Snape says in there."  He looked at Peter with a smile.  "Are you feeling all right, Peter?  You look kind of pale.  Maybe you should get some fresh air."

            "Yeah.  Maybe I should."  Peter smiled faintly.

"Just make sure you're back for James's turn.  Remus will need you to sit with him."

As Peter walked down the corridor and around the corner, Sirius's father asked quietly, "What are you two up to?" 

            "Peter just gets kind of queasy when he's nervous.  You should have seen him when we took the O.W.L.s last year." Sirius was a skilled and practiced liar.  He could fool almost everyone.  However, most of his practicing had been done on his parents.  

            "Just tell me that Peter won't do anything that could make things worse for Remus."

            "I don't know how Peter puking up his breakfast could make things worse," Sirius replied, "unless he does it on the shoes of a committee member.  And since he isn't testifying, I guess that's too much to hope for."

            The committee kept Mrs. Lupin for over forty minutes.  Remus imagined that they were asking her about every full moon since Remus was first bitten, looking for even one instance of Remus's being a threat to someone.  When the doors finally opened again, Mrs. Lupin emerged even paler than she had gone in, and Sirius hadn't imagined that possible.  Almost all eyes in the corridor were upon Mrs. Lupin as she returned to her son and began speaking to him quietly.  Only Sirius watched a grey rat follow Snape into the meeting room.

            Sirius felt the urge to pace the floor, but he knew that Remus didn't need to see that. He started biting his nails instead.  _"Never did this before.  Probably going to be stuck with a new bloody bad habit—as if I didn't have enough bad habits."_  Seven minutes later and the doors opened again_.  "Hope that's a good sign.  Snape didn't have time to say much." _ Sirius watched Snape sweep out of the room and down the corridor toward the building's exit.  _"Not staying for the verdict.  Another good sign, I hope."_

            "Ready, Son?"

            "Yeah.  Time to tell them what an asshole I am and what a paragon of virtue Remus is."

            "Not in those exact words, I hope.  Just remember, only answer what is asked.  Don't volunteer extra information."

            Sirius nodded, took a deep breath, and started walking toward the open doors.  He glanced over at Remus and James.  Remus was very deliberately staring at a wall, but James smiled encouragingly at him.  

The room was not what he had expected. Sirius had imagined an imposing courtroom with a marble floor, dark wood paneling on the wall, and rows of highly polished benches or ornately carved wooden chairs.  The sort of place where life and death decision were made.  This room was shabby.  There was no other word that came to mind.  The walls cried out for a fresh coat of paint. The velvet drapes were faded.  The chairs were mismatched.  The long table where the red-robed committee sat was battered and worn.  Sirius suddenly felt as sick as he had pretended Peter to be.  The state of this room told him all too clearly the lack of importance that the Ministry of Magic placed on the decision of whether "a werewolf" would live or die.  

He sat in the chair which stood alone in the center of the room, facing the long table and the five committee members.  He wondered if Peter was still here, or if he had slipped out after Sirius entered.  He didn't want to look around for him.  

"Please state your full name for the record," said the wizard who had come into the hallway earlier.  He sat on the far right.

"Sirius Aeneas Black."

"And what is your relationship to the werewolf, Remus Lupin?"

"Remus is my friend and my dorm mate at Hogwarts."

"When did you learn that he is a werewolf?"

"October 1972."

"Did he tell you or did you discover it in some other way?"

"My other dorm mates and I figured it out."

"How?" asked a dark haired witch.

"Remus was always absent at the full moon, and he skipped Herbology when we studied wolfsbane.  Remus never skips classes."

"Did his temperament also give you a clue that he was a werewolf?" she asked.

"No."

"Have you ever seen instances of uncontrollable temper in the werewolf?"

"No."

"Any signs of a temper at all?"  Sirius was starting to dislike her.

"Everyone has a temper, but Remus keeps his under control.  He tries to keep mine under control too."

"What do you mean?" asked a young looking wizard.

"I'm the hot head of the group.  That's why we're here today."

"Perhaps we should discuss the night of the full moon last month," said the wizard at the center of the table. "Who told Mr. Snape how to get into the tunnel leading to the werewolf's location?"

"I did."

"Did anyone know ahead of time that you were going to do this?"

"No.  I didn't even know ahead of time."

"So Mr. Lupin did not know that Mr. Snape would be coming to his location?" asked a white haired witch on the far left.  

_"I like her," _he thought.  "No, he didn't."

"When did you talk to Mr. Snape?  Before or after moonrise?" asked the young wizard.

Sirius thought for a moment.  "It was right around moonrise.  It may have been just before or just after.  A few minutes either way."

"Did you contact the werewolf after you spoke to Mr. Snape?"

"No."

"So before he transformed, he had no knowledge that a human would be coming to his location?"

"No."

There was a minute of silence as the committee members tried to think of any more questions.  Sirius felt a slight tug on one of his socks and looked down to see Wormtail just behind his foot.

"Do you know of any other instances of the werewolf being a danger to humans?" asked the dark haired witch.

"No_."  "Leaving the Shrieking Shack with him doesn't count because Prongs and I keep him away from people,"_ Sirius rationalized to himself.

"Thank you, Mr. Black," said the wizard in the center.  "You are dismissed."

"May I say one more thing?"  

"Please keep it brief," the wizard on the right said as he began to write notes on a piece of parchment.

"Remus is one of the finest people I know, and I have felt honored to call him my friend.  He's never been a danger to anyone, except for one night, and it was all _my_ fault, not his.  Remus didn't do anything wrong, and he shouldn't be punished because I did."

"Thank you, we'll keep your comments in mind," the wizard said in a careless manner. 

_"Liar."_

Sirius reached down and picked up Wormtail, putting him in his pocket as he stood to leave.  The doors opened as he approached, and Sirius returned to the hallway.  He stood in front of the open doors and waited for James's approach.  Sirius saw that Professor Dumbledore had arrived and was sitting beside Mrs. Lupin.

"How's he doing, James?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Awful.  Where's Peter?"

"In my pocket.  He eavesdropped on Snape."  James smiled and went into the room.  Sirius approached his father.

"Dad, I'm going to go look for Peter.  I'll be right back."

"Want me to come with you?"

"No.  Stay here so Remus doesn't think we're leaving."

As soon as Sirius was around the corner and out of sight, he took Wormtail out of his pocket and placed him on the floor.  A moment later, Peter stood beside him.  

"If I had to listen to them call Remus "the werewolf" instead of by name one more time, I would have bitten someone," Peter said.

"You and me both, Peter.  You'd better go sit with Remus now."  They started walking back to the others.  "Just tell me, how horrible was Snape?"

"Actually, not _too_ bad.  I was only a little bit tempted to bite him.  I'll tell you word by word later."

"I told my dad that you were probably puking up your breakfast because you were nervous."

"Works for me.  After listening to that committee, I'm terrified."  Peter hurried over to their pacing friend, and Sirius returned to his father.  He saw Professor Dumbledore approaching and stood to meet him.

"Hello, Sirius.  How are you holding up?" the Headmaster asked with a kind smile.

"I'm a nervous wreck.  The only reason I'm not pacing is because Remus is doing that for all of us."

"Yes, I noticed that."

Sirius glanced over the elderly wizard's shoulder and saw Peter whispering in Remus's ear.  _"Probably telling him about Snape's testimony."_

"Could you tell me what types of questions the committee asked you?" Professor Dumbledore asked.  "The more Remus knows going in, the better prepared he'll be."

"They focused quite a bit on the possibility that Remus knew that Snape was coming.  I told them every way I could that he didn't.  I was the one who told Snape how to get in the tunnel, and I did it after Remus had already gone."

Dumbledore nodded at this.  Sirius saw that Peter was still whispering to Remus.  Remus looked at Sirius.  _"Probably telling him about my testimony, too."_

"Anything else, Sirius?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, the dark haired witch kept trying to get me to say that Remus had a bad temper.  I kept saying that he didn't."

"Except toward you at the moment," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

Sirius smiled back.  "That's why I'm at this end of the corridor.  I thought it would be better if Remus killed me _after_ this is over."

"Quite true."

Dumbledore returned to Remus and began speaking to him.  He hadn't yet finished when the doors opened again and James emerged.  He waited in front of the doorway for Remus.  Mrs. Lupin stood up and said a few words to her son.  She then kissed him and stood holding Professor Dumbledore's arm as Peter and Remus walked toward James.  Sirius had the impression that she would faint as soon as Remus was out of sight.

Remus had a look of quiet resignation on his face, as if the verdict had already been read.  James grasped Remus's shoulders and quietly said a few words.   Remus seemed to get some comfort from whatever James said.  He nodded, took a deep breath, and almost smiled.  He then entered the room and the doors closed again.  Sirius was beside his friends in a moment.

"What did you _say_, James?  It really seemed to help."

"I told him that Peter and I would help him beat the shit out of you when this is all over."

"Fair enough, but do you really think he needs help?"

"No, but we want to help anyway."

"Sirius?"  Sirius turned at the sound of his father's voice close behind him.  "I want to go talk to Mrs. Lupin now.  Why don't you come with me and apologize to her."  Sirius nodded nervously and felt his mouth go dry.  He followed his father and was surprised to see Mrs. Lupin smile as they approached.

"Oh, Aeneas, thank you so much for sending us that nice Charlotte Stirling," Mrs. Lupin said as she reached out for Mr. Black's hand and he sat beside her.  "She's the first person I've met from Werewolf Support Services who didn't set my teeth on edge."

"Rather unfortunate name for her job though," he replied with a smile.

"Yes, I did rather flinch when she introduced herself."  She laughed then, and there was a slightly hysterical edge to her laughter that made Sirius cringe inside.

"She was helpful?" Sirius's father asked.

Mrs. Lupin nodded and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.  "She talked with us about the types of questions to expect, and she pulled some strings to make sure the hearing was today."

"Today?"  Sirius's father asked.

"It's the new moon," Sirius explained.  His parents looked up at him with wide eyes, and Sirius shrugged.  "Every little bit helps."

Sirius was suddenly uncomfortably aware of Mrs. Lupin staring at him.  She didn't look angry, and that made it worse.  She looked pale and lost.  He dropped down on one knee so she wouldn't have to look up at him.

"Mrs. Lupin, I'm so, so, sorry.  I never meant to hurt Remus.  I never meant to hurt anyone.  I'm not asking you to forgive me.  I just wanted to apologize."  He started to stand so she wouldn't have to put up with his presence any longer, but she put a hand on his shoulder.

"I know you didn't mean to do this, Sirius."  She then looked up behind him to Peter and James.  "The best thing that ever happened to Remus was becoming friends with the three of you.  And whatever—" she closed her eyes, "whatever happens today, remember that."  Sirius's mother pulled her close, and they sat silently.  James pulled Sirius to his feet and the three teenagers returned to the other end of the corridor.

"Do you want to know what Snape said?" Peter asked.  At that moment, Sirius didn't care.

"I do," James answered.

"Just the highlights, Peter," Sirius added, "I'm not in the mood for word by word."

Peter was silent for a moment as he thought.  "Well, when they were trying to find out if Remus was in on it, he told the truth and said that you were the one who told him about the tunnel, and that you told him _after_ Remus had already gone in the tunnel,  but—"

"But, what?" Sirius growled.

"He said that the four of us are always plotting and scheming together.  He said that it was rare for one of us to do something without the others knowing about it ahead of time."

"Bastard," Sirius muttered.

James sighed.  "I made a big deal of the fact that when you told me about it, you said that you had just blurted it out because you were angry, that you hadn't planned it ahead of time.  If they put that together with the fact that it was after Remus went in the tunnel—"

"They don't care, James," Sirius said as he dropped his head and grabbed fistfuls of hair.  "You both heard them calling him 'the werewolf' instead of by name.  They just want an excuse to kill him, and I gave it to them."  Neither James nor Peter had an answer for that.  They sat in silence and waited. 

_A Chocolate Frog to you if you know where the names "Radley" and "Ewell" come from and why they are appropriate.  "Stirling" is from the Scottish branch of my own family tree and just seemed to fit.  _

_Disclaimer:  All characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling. (As if you had any doubt.)_


	3. The Verdicts

**Werewolf on Trial**

**Chapter 3- The Verdicts**

After twenty minutes of nervously tapping his foot on the floor, Sirius couldn't stand sitting anymore and began to pace in front of the bench.

"Dogs," James said with a shake of his head.

"Um-hm," Peter agreed with a smile.

Sirius stopped and looked at them both.  "When Remus comes out, I'll go for a walk.  That way he can sit here with you two if he wants."  They nodded, and he resumed pacing.  He resisted looking at the clock.  _"If I don't look at the clock, he'll come out sooner."_  It didn't make any sense, but he kept thinking it all the same.  When Remus finally came out, he and Sirius locked eyes for a moment and they both stopped dead in their tracks.  Remus's expression gave no clue as to how his testimony had gone, but Sirius was certain that it had been the most humiliating experience of his life.

"You can sit here, Remus.  I'll go."  Sirius turned on his heel and walked down the corridor toward the exit.  He didn't know how long to stay away.  If the committee's attitude to his final words was any indication, they probably wouldn't want to listen to Professor Dumbledore for long.  However, he _was_ Professor Dumbledore.  Who would dare to not let him say whatever he wished to say?

            Sirius heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Remus following him.  His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his robe.  Sirius stopped to wait.  As Remus passed, he indicated with a jerk of his head that Sirius should walk beside him.  Sirius walked a half step behind Remus, just behind his shoulder.  It was Padfoot's usual place beside the wolf and it just seemed right today.  Moony was the alpha.  Their path was his choose; the pace was his to set.

For several minutes, they wandered through various hallways in silence.  _"Really unfair of him to leave James and Peter behind if he's planning on beating me into a pulp, and if he's planning to kill me, he really shouldn't do it in this building.  The Forbidden Forest would be a good place to die.  We had fun there, and they'd never find my body."_

            "My first instinct is to refuse to speak to you for the rest of my life, but I know I'd never make it through even one year," Remus finally said.  "And since the rest of my life is probably much less than a year, I might as well start speaking to you again now."  Remus kept walking without looking at Sirius.

            Sirius wanted desperately to say something hopeful, to make Remus realize that the committee would rule in his favor, but Sirius didn't believe that any more than Remus did, and Remus could see through his lies even faster than his parents could.

            "Oh God, Moony.  I'm so sorry.  I don't even know how to say how sorry I am."

            "I want to tell you something, but you can't tell James or Peter."

            "Then don't tell me.  I've proven myself hopeless at keeping secrets."

            "You've learned your lesson.  You probably already know this, but I wanted to say it anyway, while I can,"

            "Please stop talking like that, Remus."

            Remus ignored this and went on.  "I wanted to say that you, Padfoot, are most definitely the wolf's favorite."

            "Yeah, I knew that.  You're Padfoot's favorite, too.  The deer and the rat just aren't the same, are they?"

            "No.  Can't even bark."

            "Or wag their tails."

            "Or howl."  Remus finally stopped walking and smiled at Sirius.  "Promise me you'll howl at the moon for me after I'm gone."

            "Only if you promise the same thing, because this committee is _not_ going to rule against you, and you'll probably outlive me by several decades."

            Remus shook his head but didn't bother to argue.

            "Can you forgive me, Remus?" Sirius asked.

            "You know what I realized while they were questioning me?"  Remus resumed walking and led the way back toward the others.  "I realized that I wasn't in there because you're a bloody idiot."

"Although I am."

"Although you are, but I was in there because I'm a werewolf and they want me dead.  You just gave them an excuse to kill me, and if you hadn't they would have found another excuse.  Don't blame yourself for what's about to happen.  I forgive you, and I want you to forgive yourself, too."

            Sirius didn't reply; he didn't trust himself to speak without sobbing.  A few tears spilled down his cheeks, but he let them dry without wiping them away. Remus wasn't looking at him, and the tears might go unnoticed if he left them alone.

            "You know what I want to do, Sirius?"  Sirius shook his head.  "As soon as we get back to James and Peter, I'm going to tease you unmercifully for fainting in McGonagall's office."

            "How'd you know?"

            "She told my mum and me.  She thought we should know how 'concerned and upset' you were."

            Sirius growled.  "Stupid cat."

            "Going to chase her up a tree?"

            "Can't.  I took a vow not to chase cats anymore."

            "Why?"

            "Because McGonagall was so nice to me when I fainted."

            Remus started laughing.  Sirius thought it was one of the best sounds he had ever heard.

            "Where have you been?" Peter shouted as they came around the corner.

            "We were—"  Sirius began_.  "Smiling.  Peter is smiling.  James is smiling.  Everyone is smiling."_  "What happened?"

            "They voted in Remus's favor!  It's all over!"  James shouted as he ran forward and hugged Remus.  When he let go, Remus ran to his mother and embraced her.  Sirius stood stunned.  It was the result he hadn't dared hope for.

            "How close was the vote, James?"

            James threw an arm around Sirius's shoulders.  "Three to two, but don't tell Remus that unless he asks."            

"Did the committee leave yet?

            "Why?  Do you want a recount?"

            "No, I want to kiss that white haired witch."

            James laughed.  "Several of us did!  We're all going back to my house for a party.  Your mum already left.  She wanted to tell my grandmother the result and help get things ready."

* * * * *

            Sirius helped himself to a second slice of chocolate cake and then licked some frosting off his thumb.

            "Where did my stupid fork go?"

            "Here, catch!" James laughed and then lowered his voice so the adults in the neighboring dining room wouldn't hear him.  "Guess what Gran did."

            "What?" Sirius asked around a mouthful of cake.  He put his plate on the kitchen counter and pushed himself up to sit beside it.

            "She told Simmy to set the table with her favorite china and _silver_ because tonight is a celebration."

            Sirius laughed.  "She didn't."

            "She did.  She forgot.  Fortunately, Simmy put out the stainless flatware instead.  Right, Simmy?"

            "Yes, Sir," the house-elf squeaked before hurrying back to the dining room with a bottle of sherry.

            "Thanks, Simmy!  You're an angel!" Sirius called after her.

            "I'd better get back in there and rescue Peter.  Gran was lecturing him about worrying his mother by sneaking out of the house."

            "Does his mother know that he's here?"

            "Yeah, your dad apparated over and told her."

            "Brave man, my dad."

            James went back into the dining room.  Sirius licked the last of the frosting off his plate and put it in the sink.  He went to the dining room door; a quick glance revealed everyone except Remus.  Sirius suspected that he'd find Remus outside (after feeling trapped all day, he'd want space), so he went out to the back garden.  Remus wasn't sitting in any of the chairs on the patio.  Sirius began to walk beside the low wall heading for the break in the wall where two steps led down to the lawn.

            "Oh—there you are, Moony."  

Remus was sitting on the lawn leaning back against the patio wall.  Sirius jumped over the wall and sat beside Remus.  For a while, they just sat in silence looking at the dark blue sky.

"Takes forever to get dark in the summer, doesn't it?" Sirius finally said.

"Um-hm.  Doesn't really matter though," Remus replied.  "There's no moon to howl at tonight anyway."  He smiled but didn't look directly at Sirius.

Sirius grinned.  "We could howl anyway."

"We could," Remus grinned, "but we'd freak out your parents and James's grandmother."  

Sirius laughed as he pictured their reactions to Remus howling.  "It wouldn't throw Dumbledore."

"Nothing throws Dumbledore.  Your dad just came outside."

Sirius raised his hand to be seen over the wall.  "Over here, Dad."

Sirius's father levitated a patio chair over the wall, positioning it to face the two teenagers.  He climbed over the wall and sat in the chair.  Then he pulled a small book out of his pocket and tossed it to Remus.

"I'm glad you didn't need this.  You might as well put it away somewhere safe," Sirius's father said.

"What is it?" Remus asked.

"It's called a 'passport'.  It's a kind of identification that muggles have to have if they want to leave the country.  One of my friends at the Ministry has a friend in the muggle department that issues them.  This one has your photo and a different name, but that's easy to change with a bit of transfiguration."

Remus opened it up, and Sirius looked at it with him.

"Not a bad photo," Sirius said, "dumb name though."

"I don't understand," Remus murmured.

"Just our little back-up plan.  Passports for you and your mother, tickets on a muggle airplane to Canada, and some muggle money to get you started.  I promised Sirius that we wouldn't let anyone hurt you, and I meant it."

Sirius was both amazed that his father had gone to these lengths, these illegal lengths, to help Remus and exasperated that his father had kept it a secret.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked his father.

 "We didn't tell _you_, Sirius, because we thought a bit of terror might teach you a much needed lesson.  And we didn't tell _you_, Remus, because, quite frankly, there were no guarantees that it would work, and we didn't want to give you any false hopes.  Just getting you out of the building would have been a major feat.  As soon as you entered the building this afternoon, all the exits were sealed to you, you know."

Remus nodded.  He had known.  Sirius hadn't.

"And it was a poor second choice to a favorable ruling from the committee," Sirius's father continued.  "You would have had to spend the rest of your life on the run.  So, we readied this plan, but hoped that we wouldn't have to use it."

"Who are 'we'?" Remus asked.

"Sirius's mother, Professor Dumbledore, and I, but that's our little secret."  Sirius's father stood up and smiled.  "You _do_ know how to keep a secret now, don't you, Sirius?"

Both boys stood up, and Sirius embraced his father.  "Thank you, Dad."

When Sirius took a step back, Remus extended his hand.  "Thank you, Sir."  Aeneas gripped Remus's hand but used it to pull him close and embraced him.

"You're quite welcome, Remus.  You're quite welcome.  Now let's go back inside.  We adults are about to leave, and James has talked his grandmother into allowing the three of you to sleep over."

"You two go ahead," Sirius said.  "I'll be inside in a minute."

Remus gave him a suspicious look but accompanied Sirius's father inside.  Certain that he was alone, Sirius returned to the shadowed privacy behind the patio wall and transformed.  

Padfoot howled his joy to the sky.  Remus, James, and Peter all grinned as they listened.

"Just a dog," Remus announced to the puzzled adults, "but he howls pretty well."

The chapter title isn't a typo; it's plural on purpose.   How many verdicts do you count?  Reviews and constructive criticism are very, very welcome!  Review my stories and I promise to read and review yours!

_Disclaimer:  All characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling. (As if you had any doubt.)_


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